The National tribune., 1887-10-13
CHAPTER III.


CHAPTER Ill
Six months have passed. yet the strife has
not ended. State after State has seeded, and
IL is now evident TO both sides that long,
bloody war is in progress. and with no definite
idea when il will end. More troops are being
called for, and the loyal sons of the North are
flocking TO the front in defense of the dear old
flag. The battle of Balls Bluff has just been
fought, and the loss 10 the Union troops was
very heavy, 223 having been killed and 226
wounded, besides the number reported as hav-
ing been captured and missing was AS. En-
gagged in this battle was the 18th Mass. Capt
Fred Clark's regiment, and the goth Mass,
Tony Harding's regiment.
Night falls on a scene that no pen can do
scribe. The ground is strewn with the dead
aud dying. Gen. Il. ID. Baker has been NOR
tally wounded. Tattoo is being sounded in the
distance, as il is 3 o'clock. The heavy clouds
that have shut out the moon and stars roll
away, and the light of those heavenly planets
floods the field. The stiffness of the night is
only broken by the moans of the wounded rs
they are being carried on stretchers TO the hos
pital tents in the rear. But bark What is
that sweet sound that is heard above those
mOurnful cries?
There'll be no more sorrow there,
There'll be no more sorrow there,
In Heaven above,
Where all IL love,
Therc'll be more sorrow there.
There, lying beside a broken gun-carriage,
was Tony Harding. Drummer of Co. A. He
had been wounded in the foot, and was unable
60 move. About 80 feet from him lay young
officer, and as the moon shone full in his face
we recognize our gallant Captain-Fred. Clark.
lie had led the regiment against great odds,
and the iron hail had pierced both limbs.
As Tony sang the two closing lines of his
faNneita iNsnt, Erad rafcad hitncrlf Itr
elbows aud gazing in the direction from which
the sound came, exclaimed, " That voice! That
hymn! Can il bel God help me TO ascertain
If il is be. Tonyi Tonyi Tonyi"
WHO calls2" cried the little fellow.
" Ii is i. Capt. Clark. Are you badly hurtf"
81 don't know. can't move"
81 will try and crawl TO you;" and So not
thinking Of his own wounds, be began his pain
ful task. Hand over hand he crawled, every
now and then having 10 cross some dead or
wounded body. Again, TO guide himself, he
called, "Tony!"
Here, Captain, on the other side Of the gun
carriage"
BY dint Of hard exertion he arrived at the
spot where Tony was lying.
oh, my poor boy am glad 10 be near you
in this trying ordeal. Your sisters letter stated
you had enlisted, but did not give the regi-
ment"
Are you hurt much, Captain2"
i cannot tell how serious my wounds are;
but never mind me. Where are you woundedY
In the right foot"
BY the moonlight Capt Clark looked at the
wounded limb and found that it was not as bad
he had feared.
"Your favorite hymn brought me TO your
side. oh, Tony j cannot help but think under
what different circumstances / heard you sing
that hymn before.
Yes, Captain; and was thinking Of Sister
Lou as / lay here far away from home, and /
thought / could sec the tears in her eyes when
she told me TO sing the chorus for you. 1t
seemed to stop the pain in my foot"
Poor boy. how 1 wish / could help you."
There'll he more sorrow there.
There'll be no more sorrow there.
In Heaven above,
Where all In love,
There'il be no more sorrow there.
"Who is that singing?"
The voice was that of one in authority, and
issued from group of soldiers who. with the
aid Of a lantern, were going over the battle
field. As they approached the gun-carriage,
Capt. Clark perceived that they We're a Captain
of the Confederate forces and detail of men.
" heard an old familiar hymn" continued
the officer that has brought To my memory the
scenes at home. Who was it?"
1t was me-" said Tony, sitting up and look
ing into the face of the Confederate Captain.
"Well, my little Yank, You have pluck to
lie there and sing with half Of your foot shot
of"
"Thst hymn seems to drive away the pain,
and makes me think of my sister, home in
Massachusetts,"
Then being asked to sing it again. Tony sang
the hymn through. When he had finished.
even those rough men, who had marched all
day through the heat OF the sun. without food
or water, and had faced the cannon's mouth,
were in tears let alone the Captain.
What regiment do you belong to, my little
lad?"
"The 18th Mass"
"Where is your homer"
"In Boston, sir"
"Boston? And your name?"
Anthony Harding, but they call me Tony"
:" Give me that light, Corporal" and the
Captain held it SO that it shone directly on
Tony's face.
"Yes! yes! Boy, look at me. Do you re-
member of over having seen me before?"
Tony scrutinized the face before him, then
replied: II think have, but don't know
where"
We'll, If had my whiskers shaved Of, who
do you think you would recognize?"
+" ] don't know, sir"
"Well, will tell you That hymn you have
sung may save your life. My mother used TO
sing that hymn TO her two boys years ago One
Of those boys was your father; the other was
myself"
What are you Uncle Francis that moved
to Nirginiar" exclaimed Tony.
Yes, my boy; so now, Corporal, get n
stretcher."
What are You going TO do, sirP"
g am going 10 take care of you"
But Uncle Francis, 1 don't want TO leave
Capt. Clark. lie crawled over here TO help me,
and / couldn't leave him now; besides, Lou
would never forgive me if i did"
'Ah, i see! Well, Corporal, bring two
| stretchers"
When the stretchers arrived Capt. Clark and
Tony were carefully lifted on them and carried
10 the hospital, where their wounds were prop
erly dressed. The next morning Capt Hard
ing had a consultation with the doctors, i'm
consequence Of which toward the close Of the
day an ambulance drove up TO the hospital tent
Capt. Harding entered where Capt. Clark was
lying and said:
Captain, i have procured paroles for you
and Tony. and you will be forwarded to your
lines. hope that when we meet again it will
be under entirely different circu instances; aud
shaking both by their hands he took his leave.
CHAPTER Nv.
Three months elapsed since Capt. Clark and
| Tony left the Confederate hospital for the
Union lines They were now in the H-Street
Ascension Hospital, in Washington, and were
extremely happy, as they had lust received